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WGC-HSBC Champions: Top 10 power rankings at Sheshan

By Mike Randleman

SHANGHAI, CHINA - NOVEMBER 04: A general view of the final leaderboard near the clubhouse and 18th green after the final round of the WGC-HSBC Champions at the Sheshan International Golf Club on November 4, 2013 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
SHANGHAI, CHINA - NOVEMBER 04: A general view of the final leaderboard near the clubhouse and 18th green after the final round of the WGC-HSBC Champions at the Sheshan International Golf Club on November 4, 2013 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images) /
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SHANGHAI, CHINA – OCTOBER 28: Tony Finau of the United States plays his shot from the 17th tee during the final round of the WGC – HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club on October 28, 2018 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
SHANGHAI, CHINA – OCTOBER 28: Tony Finau of the United States plays his shot from the 17th tee during the final round of the WGC – HSBC Champions at Sheshan International Golf Club on October 28, 2018 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. That’s almost the truth for one-time PGA Tour winner Tony Finau. The Utahan owns five runner-up finishes, one of which came at the 2018 WGC-HSBC Champions.

Finau (66-67-70-71) held the 54-hole lead and hung on to reach a playoff where Xander Schauffele defeated him. The two beat the rest of the field by four shots and it was Finau’s more impressive showings.

Some top players can sleep through events at this time of the year, particularly when guaranteed money is in play. That won’t be the case for Finau.

He’s got plenty to play for after missing out on Presidents Cup automatic qualifying by one spot. Finau can impress Tiger Woods, who will likely use one of his four captain’s picks on himself.

The 30-year-old didn’t bring his best to the Zozo Championship last week in Japan (T-59), but had four top-10s in his five previous starts.

Finau was T-9 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children’s Open to get an early top-10 in the 2019-2020 PGA Tour season.

Sheshan is a great course for a big hitter like Finau. In his WGC-HSBC Champions debut, he finished T-11 (67-72-74-70) in 2017.

Last season, Finau was 23rd in strokes gained off the tee (.4390 and 38th in approach (.384). He’ll be aiming to play the par-5s in double digits under par and was 17th (4.53) in that category. The rough can be gnarly at Sheshan, but Finau is 19th in proximity from the thick stuff (41’3″).

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